


A Practical Gift

by Noname_Kat



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Road Trip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 17:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12939843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noname_Kat/pseuds/Noname_Kat
Summary: A Christmas shopping trip to Boston doesn't quite go as planned.





	A Practical Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Longtime fanfic reader trying to write some... I guess you can say it's an experiment...it's um, something I just wanted to try. *shrug*  
> I'm totally not a writer as you'll see by my awful grammar and such...but I'm having fun trying! lol This was a short story to help me keep my brain active while I try to work out the kinks on the multi-chapter story I'm working on... I wrote this super fast, with minimal rereads/edits, it's kind of a way I'm challenging myself at the moment, so I apologize for any huge crazy mistakes. Hope you enjoy it!

Emma was super excited for Christmas this year. For once there was no big bad needing to be caught. No crazy fairytale characters were running amok. Everything was just, dare she say, rather normal. She and Regina were discussing what to get Henry for Christmas. It had been decided they would each give him a few small gifts and chip in on one big gift together. 

“I get that a laptop is a pretty useful and pricey gift, but do you think it’s a bit…I don’t know? Lame?’ Emma didn’t love the idea, of what in her mind, was a practical gift. Christmas gifts should be cool and fun, not remind someone of homework.

Regina just sighed at her “We’ve been over this like five times Emma. It’s not just a regular laptop. It’s a top of the line gaming one. It’s practical and fun! We both win.”

All Emma could do was nod. Maybe she just didn’t like the idea of not being able to play games with Henry. If he got into gaming on his laptop would he stop playing his games on his Xbox with her? That’d suck…

Totally reading her mind Regina turned to her and gave her the sweetest smile and laughed “Don’t worry, he’ll still play games with you. He loves killing you over and over too much to give that up.”

“Oh ha-ha, I get a few good shots in now and then, thank you very much.” Emma couldn’t keep a straight face. She knew she sucked at those shooter games.

Regina just smirked at her.

Now ordinary people could just order such a gift online and have it delivered in time for the holiday, but of course, there was nothing normal about their lives. The thing about living in a town created by a curse is…there’s no way to get mail. So she and Regina decided they’d head to Boston one morning. As luck would have it, the December weather was on the warm side, and it just felt like the perfect time for a road trip.

“Are we stopping at the first Hardee’s we see?” Emma grinned.

“Shut up Miss Swan. . . . yes, please.” Regina really did love a good greasy breakfast sandwich, but she’d kill anyone who’d ever say so…

-+-+-+-

Emma loved Boston during the holidays. It was just so alive and bright with Christmas sights and sounds. She was beyond thrilled to get to show it all to Regina. With all their shopping done rather quickly, even some solo shopping, you know, just to maybe buy each other something small, they became good old tourists. They were having so much fun they didn’t realize it was taking up a bit more time than they had planned out.

“Oh wow when did it get so late? I suppose we need to get on the road…” but Emma couldn’t help but wish they didn’t have to drive back just yet…

Suddenly, it started to snow.

Regina looked up into the darkening sky “Huh, that’s weird. The forecast was perfectly clear for the day”

After a quick wish in her mind for a million dollars Emma took out her phone to check the weather forecast. “Oh wow, there’s a huge storm rolling in…they’re telling everyone to take cover. We better find a place to stay before they all fill up!” Why was she so excited about this? Is it not like she had a huge secret crush on her best friend/co-mom for the past few years right? Oh yeah, she totally did. Earlier that day it had dawned on Emma this was the most time they’d really spent together alone. No Henry, no Charming parents, and no sleazy bearded guys stalking about. It was just them, and it was so nice.

“Do you think we’ll get stuck here?! Christmas Eve is just two days away, and Henry and I always do a special gift exchange that night…” the sadness in Regina’s voice made Emma’s heartache.

“I’m sure it’ll be over before then.” Emma tried to reassure her, but Regina didn’t look convinced. “Let’s go find a room, and we’ll figure out more from there, okay?”

Regina just silently nodded at her.

-+-+-+-

They found a room. Emma was pretty sure it was the last room in all of Boston. They had tried numerous hotels before finally finding one. As luck would have it, this place had a last-second cancellation because of the storm. In their honeymoon suite. Yup. That just happened.

“Well we have no other options we have to take it, right?” Emma was laughing, and she couldn’t stop for some reason.

“Yes Miss Swan we do.” Emma was pretty sure the eye roll that followed was also followed by a smirk, but she wasn’t positive.

The young front desk clerk just looked at them strangely and handed them the key. “Umm, yeah whatever. So you’re in luck, it was already set up for the happy couple, so there’s no extra charge for the champagne and rose petals.”

“Oh well…aren’t we lucky?” Regina turned and looked Emma up and down in a way that made Emma’s heart skip not one, but like six beats. What was that?! 

-+-+-+-

For a honeymoon suite it was rather small, at least Emma thought so… The bed was huge though. She supposed that made sense, and it’s not like you’d need much more than that on your honeymoon. The massive bed was covered in red rose petals; it really was super romantic looking. There was a bucket of champagne chilling on a table and even some bonus chocolate covered strawberries, score!

“Well I suppose this isn’t the worse place in the world to wait out a snowstorm.” Emma was still trying to brighten Regina’s mood. She was acting a bit strange, and Emma wasn’t sure if it was just the worry of not getting back to Storybrooke for Christmas or something else.

“I’m going to call Henry and your parents to let him know we won’t be home tonight… Then I’m going to jump in the shower, is that okay?” Why did Regina sound nervous all of a sudden?

“Yeah sure, I’ll just watch some tv!” Why was Emma talking in exclamation points all of a sudden?

While Regina was in the shower Emma decided to change into the pj’s she had bought earlier. They had agreed to buy some overnight essentials when they knew they were going to be stuck for at least one night. She was pretty happy with the Wonder Woman set she had found, Regina of course just rolled her eyes at her…then proceeded to buy herself an adorable Star Wars set. The nerd.

Once she got changed Emma decided she was hungry. While chocolate covered strawberries were delicious, they just weren’t going to be enough. She was looking for a room service menu when Regina finally emerged from the bathroom. Glancing over at her Emma forgot how to breathe. Regina’s hair was damp, her face was makeup free, and she was stunning. So stunning Emma thought she might just cry. The look on her face must have been a bit weird though because Regina suddenly became very concerned for her. “What’s wrong? Did something happen while I was in the shower?! Are you okay?”

It took a moment for Regina’s concerned state to knock Emma out of her stupor. “Huh? Oh no, I’m fine. Everything’s fine. All good. Just, umm, hungry is all.” Emma quickly held up the room service menu she just found. Smooth move Swan, smooth move.

Emma was looking over the menu when there was a knock at the door. Great, the honeymoon couple probably decided to show up or something… Regina made her way over to the door and was greeted with “Room service!” that’s weird. Emma walked over to the door “Umm. We haven’t ordered yet? You must have the wrong room?” He just laughed at her “This is part of your total honeymoon experience package silly!! Might I add, it is so nice to see an LGBTQ couple! The straights are so boring!” He pushed the cart into the room and started to reveal the most amazing steak and lobster meal Emma had ever seen. She’s pretty sure drool was forming at the corners of her mouth. “Here you are! Enjoy! Can I add that you two are adorable in those pjs! SO CUTE! Have a good night, and if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask!” and with a wink, he was gone. 

“Well our luck just keeps on going, doesn’t it? Other than the whole stuck in a snowstorm bit I suppose…wait, are those chocolate covered strawberries?!” Regina at least finally seemed to be relaxing.

-+-+-+-

After eating, what was, in fact, the most amazing steak and lobster she had ever had, Emma was super full and super happy. She couldn’t remember a time in her life when she felt so at ease. They were currently cuddled up on the bed watching a movie marathon. Since it was so close to Christmas, it was decided cheesy Hallmark holiday movies would be a perfect ending to their eventful day in Boston. It was in the middle of one of these cheesy films, that happened to be eerily similar to the day they were having, that Emma had the bright idea of giving Regina her Christmas present early. It just seemed like the perfect moment for it. She hopped out of bed and scrambled over to the pile of shopping bags.

“What are you doing?” Emma realized Regina must have been dozing off on her shoulder before she got her bright idea. Awwww….

“Sorry, I just realized it’s past midnight, so technically it’s Christmas Eve, um, Eve. So I wanted to give you my gift now…if that’s okay?” Regina’s gorgeous brown eyes looking at her were making her super nervous all of a sudden.

Regina smiled at her “I suppose that would be fine if I can give you mine as well?”

All Emma could do was nod, she could feel her face turning red as Regina got up to grab her gift for her.

Once they were settled back on the bed they exchanged gifts. “Well since this was my genius plan I think you should open yours first.” Emma smiled at Regina.

Emma could see red forming on Regina’s cheeks as she silently nodded at her and started opening the gift. “Oh Emma, this is beautiful…”

Emma couldn’t help but smile a huge ass smile “You like it? I was worried it might come across kind of corny…but I also thought it was so very you when I saw it.” It was a simple silver Tiffanys pendant of an apple when Emma saw it she knew she just had to buy it for Regina; it was too perfect.

“I love it Emma, thank you.” Emma couldn’t believe the look in Regina’s eyes; she looked so happy. “Now, here, open yours.” She handed Emma a very similar looking box. Had they both really ended up at Tiffany's? How had they not seen each other?

Lifting up the lid Emma couldn’t help but smile. Regina had gotten her a necklace as well. Only the one she had gotten for her had two charms on it, one a crown, and one a swan. The swan was done in a very similar style to Regina’s apple, just slightly smaller. It fit perfectly with the tiny crown next to it.

“I loved the look of these two charms, they just seemed like they belonged together…” all Emma could do was look at Regina. All she could hear was the beating of her own heart. The brunette in front of her seemed suddenly very shy and was looking down at the pendant in her hands.

Emma felt a sudden burst of courage and reached out and lifted Regina’s chin up so she could look into those amazing brown eyes. She had no words at that moment, she just leaned in and kissed Regina Mills liked she always wished she could. It was soft, and it was perfect, it was everything and more… They slowly parted, and Regina rested her forehead against Emma’s. 

“Merry Christmas Eve, Eve Emma.”

“Merry Christmas Eve, Eve Regina.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)


End file.
